Marble shooter



P. DONATO MARBLE SHOOTER Jan. 15, 1935.

Filed May 2, 1934 In venlor .7 92?) -Jona 0 w I fllforney Patented Jan. 15, 1935 f UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICEfY MARBLE SHOOTER Pe'ter Donate, Patchogue, N. Y. Application May 2, 1934, Serial No. 728,605

3Clai-ms. (01.273429) l The present invention relates to new and :useful improvements in marble shooters, and has for one of. its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device .of this character embodyingnovel means for retaining a marble.

Another important object of. the inventionisto provide a marble shooter comprising novel means for mounting said shooter on the hand in a manner to permit the device to be conveniently and accurately aimed.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a marble shooter which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing a marble shooter constructed in accordance with the present invention in use;

Figure 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the invention.

Figure 3 is aview in vertical longitudinal section through the forward end portion of the shooter, showing the plunger in its projected or inoperative position.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical transverse sec tion, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective of the marble retainer.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention end by a closure disk 3. Fixed beneath and in termediate portion of the barrel 1 is a saddle 4 having downturned end portions 5 to which the ends of a substantially U-shaped bale or handle 6 are pivotally connected, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 4 of the drawing. Fixed to an intermediate portion of the saddle 4 is a depending finger receiving ring '7.

The reference numeral 8 designates a plunger which is mounted for rotation in the barrel 1 and which is provided with a socket 9 for the reception of a marble which is designated by the reference numeral 10. The plunger 8 is fixed on the forward end of astem 11 which passes slidably through the closure 3 and has fixed on'its outer end a knob or handle 12.

The reference numeral 13 designates generally a marble retainer. The retainer 13'includes a cross head 14 which-is slidably mounted on the stem 11 and from which forwardly projecting resilient fingers l5 extencLHThe fingers 15 are slidably engaged in passages 16 which are provided therefor in the plunger 8, said passages 16 extending from the rear end of the plunger toward the forward end thereof and terminating in inwardly curved forward end portions which communicate with the socket 9, as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawing.

The retainer 13 and plunger 8 are yieldingly urged forwardly inthe barrel 1 by a coil spring 1'7 which encircles the stem 11 and which has one end engaged with the closure 3 and its other end engaged with the cross head 14. The retainer 13 is yieldingly urged toward inoperative or retracted position by a comparatively weak coil spring 18 which encircles the stem 11 and which has one end engaged with the plunger 8 and its aimed. The discharge end of the barrel 1 is then I elevated slightly and the marble 1.0 is placed vin the socket 9. The knob 12 is then utilized forretracting the plunger 8 against the tension of the coil spring 1'7. As the plunger 8 is retracted the coil spring 17 is compressed and forces the retainer 13 forwardly against the tension of the comparatively weak spring 18, thus projecting the fingers 15 intothe socket 9 for retaining the marble 10 therein, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The plunger 8 isthen released and is moved forwardly by the spring 17"for ejecting the marble,'as is believed to be readily apparent. As the plunger 8 moves forwardly the spring 18 moves the cross head 14 rearwardly on the stem 11 thereby withdrawing the resilient the present invention will be readily understood,

and although a preferred embodiment of themvention is as illustrated and described, it is to tracted position.

2 7' be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A marble shooter of the class described comprising a barrel, a stem extending slidably into the barrel, a'plunger fixed on thestem and operable in the barrel, said. plunger having a socket therein for the reception of the marble, a cross head slidably mounted on the stem, resilient fingers mounted on the cross head and extending slidably into the socket for releasably securing the marble therein, a coil spring yieldingly urging the plunger and; the fingersv fiorwardly, and a weak spring, weaker than said spring, on the stem between the head and the 1,988,191 T: T. all i and further having passages therein communicating with the socket, a-cross head slidably mounted on the stem, resilient fingers mounted on the cross head and extending slidably into the passages for engagement in the socket for releasably securing the marble therein when the plunger is retracted, a coil spring encircling the stem and engaged with the cross head for yieldingly urging the retaining fingers toward operative position and for yieldingly urging the plung-. er forwardly inthe barrel, and a weakcoil spring, weaker'than said spring, encircling the stem between the head and the plunger and engaged with;the cross head for retracting the marble retaining fingers when the plunger is moved for- "wardly -in-th'e barrel by the first named coil spring. 1

3. A marble shooter of the class described comprising-a barrel, a plunger operable in the barrel, and means for mounting the barrel on the hand, said means including a saddlefixe'd'beneath an intermediateip'ortion'of the barrel and includingdownturned *end portions, a substan tially U-shaped handle pivotally; connected, at its ends, to said downturned end portions, and a depending ring for the reception ofa finger, fixed to an intermediate portion of thesaddle.

y PETER DONATO. 

